H1: Realms Conversion

TM & 2008 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. All rights reserved.

4J u n e 2 0 0 8 | Du ngeon 155

The introductory 4th edition Dungeons & Dragons adventure titled Keep on the Shadowfell takes

player characters (PCs) from 1st to 3rd levels. A player or Dungeon Master (DM) need not own the Players Handbook, Dungeon Masters Guide, or Monster Manual to use the Keep on the Shadowfell adventure. The adventure provides all the necessary rules to play, and it is designed to fit into most campaign settings. The material that fol-lows is a guide to placing the adventure into the Forgotten Realms setting. The article includes additional encounters, adaptations to the adventures people and places, and expanded interactions with nonplayer char-acters (NPCs). With this guide, a DM can jumpstart his Forgotten Realms campaign before the three core D&D books even arrive on the shelves.

by Greg Bilslandillustrated by John Stanko

cartography by Mike Schley

Keep on the Shadowfell

How To USe THiS ARTiCleKeep on the Shadowfell intentionally leaves gaps in geography and history, enabling a DM to place the adventure anywhere within his or her campaign. To place Keep in the Shadowfell into Faern requires this article to provideand in some cases overridemany names, backgrounds, and histories presented in the original adventure. As DM, you must be prepared to adapt the adventures original text to the information presented here. Read the adventure text in conjunction with this article before running the adventure. You might want to place sticky notes within the adventures text to help remind yourself of changes as the players run through the adventure.

Forgotten Realms Conversion

H1: Realms Conversion

5J u n e 2 0 0 8 | Du ngeon 155

PRePARing foR AdvenTURe

Keep on the Shadowfell provides several adventure hooks and an encounter called Kobold Ambush to jumpstart the action. You can use its existing encounter and hooks, or you can use the alternate hook and encounter presented here. The alterna-tive beginning allows you to start the adventure in a larger city, or else begin in a safe hamlet in Deep-ingdale or eastern Cormyr. You can make multiple hooks available to the party. The adventure hook on the following page allows you to involve all the PCs in the adventure. However, an individual PC might have a specific investment in activities in Winterhaven. Try to tailor the hooks so that each character has a personal, moral, or financial investment in the adventure.

The SettingIn the Forgotten Realms setting, the town of Winterhavenaround which much of the adventure revolveslies on the East Way between Arabel and Highmoon. The town is located deep in the Thunder Peaks, precariously situated at the edge of Sembias inf luence.

The ThreatLong before the arrival of the dracolich Aurgloroasa (known to some as the Sibilant Shade), in the Thun-der Peaks, another dragon prowled the mountains. The great wyrm, Shadraxil, was the shadow dragon sire of Aurgloroasas mother, Shhuusshuru. At the birth of Cormyr in 26 DR, Shadraxil was already a great wyrm and sire to many other dragons, includ-ing Shhuusshuru.

As Cormyr extended its power, the nation built fortresses along its frontier, including in the Thun-der Peaks. At that time, Shadraxil laired there, and in the year 236 DR, the great wyrm began attacking Cormyrs outposts. Among these forts was the place that was to become Shadowfell Keep. In response, Cormyr sent a contingent of brave soldiers led by the knight Jerold Keegan. Keegan devised a plan to lure the beast into an arcane trap, where Cormyrs War Wizards managed to bind the wyrm in a prison within the Plane of Shadow. Shadraxil has been trapped in the prison for twelve centuries, forgotten by most and assumed dead by the few who recall his name. After centuries of imprisonment, Shadraxil believed he would never escape. However, when Shar folded the Plane of Shadow into the Shadow-fell following the Spellplague, the dragon awoke and saw his chance. The Spellplague weakened the protective seal keeping the dragon imprisoned, and so Shadraxil struck a deal with Shar, offering his services in her dark purpose if she could use her agents to free him. After years of excavation and preparation, Shars servants are finally poised to free Shadraxil, a beast mighty enough to upset the balance of power in the region. Shadraxils libera-tion could be the opportunity Netheril and Sembia have coveted in hopes of delivering a killing blow to Cormyr and the Dalelands.

Recent DevelopmentsAn underpriest of Shar named Kalarel has infil-trated the nearby town of Winterhaven. His cult operates out of the town, which helps supply Kalarel and his followers, who are hard at work in Shadow-fell Keep preparing to unleash the wyrm.

AdvenTURe SUmmARy

The PCs learn that something is amiss in the town of Winterhaven, and they travel there to investigate. The characters then discover that what seemed only a minor threat is actually part of a greater peril. As characters speak to NPCs in Winterhaven and face Kalarels agents, they gain clues that help them uncover Kalarels plans and give them the informa-tion necessary to thwart the evil cults machinations.

Hook: Fleeing AcolyteThe adventurers begin in a village or city near the Thunder Peaks, perhaps sharing a drink together, talking of recent events, or minding their own busi-ness. At some point, a group of ruffians enters the tavern and approaches a thin, wiry man sitting in the corner. The man is a resident of Winterhaven and an acolyte of Chauntea. He has been sent by Winterhavens priestess, Sister Linora. The ruffians corner him and start threatening him. Finally, one draws a dagger and seems about to kill the fellow. Alternate: The thin, wiry man enters a tavern where the PCs are enjoying a drink. After he spots them, he confesses that he is looking for help to root out an evil cult in his hometown (see Gevarns Plea on page 8).

H1: Realms Conversion

6J u n e 2 0 0 8 | Du ngeon 155

TAveRn THUgS

e n c o u n t e r L e ve l 1 ( 5 0 0 X P )

Set UpThe player characters have arrived in the tavern of the Gilded Lady in a city at the base of the Thunder Peaks. If you have no preference for the city in which the characters begin, use Highmoon, the capital of Deepingdale and a city several days east of Winter-haven. The Dalelands consist of free counties full of warm-hearted, independent people. Set up the tactical map on the game table, and place a miniature of a human man in the area marked M on the tactical map. You dont need to place a miniature for the barkeep because he wont participate in the encounter; the tavern is other-wise empty. Allow players to place their character miniatures within the tavern. Once theyve selected a location, the action begins. This encounter includes the following creatures: 4 human thugs (T) 2 human ruffians (R) 1 human mercenary (H)

once the players place their miniatures, read:A low fire burns in the hearth of this comfortable common room. The tavern, called the Gilded Lady, is empty of patrons except for a lone human man. Not long after you sit down with your drinks, a group of tough-looking humans saunters into the tavern to the center of the room. The man in the corner leans back into the shadows of his booth. However, the seven new arrivals spot him. Four move to the front and back doors, while three cross the room, cornering the patron.

At this point, give PCs the opportunity to act. Place miniatures of the human gang according to the posi-tions marked on the tactical map. If the PCs address any members of the group, the human mercenary grunts and tells them to mind their own business.

unless the PCs attack the men, read:The leader of the group, a scarred man in chainmail, leans menacingly over the table of the patron. Youre the one, aint you? he asks.

The other man recoils in the booth, mumbling. You hear him manage to stutter, IId-dont know what youre talking about. The scarred man seizes the shirt of the tavern patron, fumbles with the mans shirt collar, and yanks out a holy symbol.

At this point, give the PCs another opportunity to act or ask questions.

Perception CheckDC 12 The holy symbol that the man in the corner wears is made of oak and bears the symbol of a rose. The symbol is that of the goddess Chauntea, a benevo-lent deity of nature and the harvest.

unless the PCs attack, read:Hes the one, says the scarred man with a sneer. He reaches for his sword and, pulling it out, lunges for the terrified man.

When the PCs rise to the defense of the acolyte of Chaunteaeither physically or verballythe human mercenary shoves the acolyte back into the booth and turns to the PCs, urging his allies, Take care of this rabble. If the PCs do not come to the acolytes aid, then the human mercenary kills the man. In that case, engage the PCs in the adventure by having the kobolds from the Kobold Brigand encounter in Keep on the Shad-owfell attack them as they make their way along the East Way through the Thunder Peaks.

H1: Realms Conversion

7J u n e 2 0 0 8 | Du ngeon 155

2 Human Ruffians (R) Level 2 SkirmisherMedium natural humanoid XP 125 eachInitiative +6 Senses Perception +1HP 37 each; Bloodied 18AC 16; Fortitude 12, Reflex 14, Will 12Speed 6m Mace (standard; at-will) Weapon +7 vs. AC; 1d8 + 1 damage, and the human bandit shifts 1

square.r Dagger (standard; at-will) Weapon Range 5/10; +7 vs. AC; 1d4 + 3 damage.M Dazing Strike (standard; encounter) Weapon Requires mace; +7 vs. AC; 1d8 + 1 damage, the target is

dazed until the end of the human bandits next turn, and the human bandit shifts 1 square.

Combat Advantage The human bandit deals an extra 1d6 damage on m